7. Project Summary/Abstract The University of Iowa's Multidisciplinary Lung Research Career Development Program (MLRCDP) trains highly motivated pre- (3 slots) and post-doctoral (12 slots) trainees for innovative and leadership careers in lung disease research. The cohesive and highly interactive program offers trainees a curriculum that provides basic, clinical, and translational research training under the close supervision and guidance of a multidisciplinary group of mentors. This program encourages trainees, including those from traditionally underrepresented populations, to pursue a career in lung disease research. The program provides the opportunity to train in a variety of research disciplines, including epidemiology, biostatistics, cell and molecular biology, neonatology, physiology, radiology, pharmacology, and pediatrics. The MLRCDP also includes training for NIH roadmap technologies, such as computational biology, genetics, nanotechnology, and imaging. Program trainees have access to the breadth of resources and facilities that make the University of Iowa a top-ranked institution in lung health science research; these include a number of well-funded multidisciplinary research programs and graduate programs, including the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science Graduate Program in Translational Biomedicine. The leadership and faculty of this training program have worked together for several years. They have developed a collegiality, stability and shared intellectual vigor that has produced an outstanding environment for lung-related research and training. The faculty are highly accomplished, both individually and collectively. Their efforts have generated many important scientific discoveries, established several multidisciplinary centers and programs, and created a training environment that continues to produce outstanding scientists in pulmonary biology. The MLRCDP leadership and faculty have developed innovative mentoring and evaluation programs that reflect the strong desire to train the next generation of outstanding lung scientists. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: 8. Project Narrative The University of Iowa's (UI) Multidisciplinary Lung Research Career Development Program (MLRCDP) trains highly motivated pre- and post-doctoral trainees for innovative and significant careers in lung disease research. The MLRCDP offers trainees a curriculum that provides basic, clinical, and translational research training and close supervision and guidance by a multidisciplinary group of mentors from multiple institutes, colleges, and departments within the UI. This program encourages trainees, including those from traditionally underrepresented populations, to pursue a career in lung disease research and provides the opportunity to train in a variety of research disciplines related to lung research (e.g., molecular biology, cell biology, physiology, genetics, epidemiology, biostatistics, radiology, neonatology and pediatrics) in order to improve the health and well-being of individuals living with lung disease throughout the world.